May

31

Cultural Recurring annually

Monday 31 May 2027

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a US federal holiday on the last Monday of May that honours military personnel who died while serving in the US armed forces. It is distinct from Veterans Day, which honours all who have served, and it is often seen as the unofficial start of summer.

Content kit

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Newsletter blurb

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Memorial Day falls on the last Monday of May, and our US offices will be closed. The day honours members of the US armed forces who died in service, and many people mark it with a moment of remembrance. If you are part of a US-based team, please make sure cover is arranged and your out-of-office is set. Colleagues outside the US, please expect slower replies and avoid setting deadlines for that day.

Slack / Teams post

For the company channel on the day.

Monday is Memorial Day in the US, when we remember those who died serving in the US armed forces. Our US offices will be closed.

Talking points

For managers and team leads.

- Memorial Day honours US service members who died in service, which is different from Veterans Day. - Confirm cover and adjust deadlines, as US teams will be off. - Be mindful that some colleagues may have personal connections to the day.

Tone note

How to pitch it.

Keep the focus on remembering those who died in service and avoid treating it as a sales weekend or a light-hearted start to summer. Do not wish people a happy Memorial Day in official messages, and do not confuse it with Veterans Day.

Turn this into this week's issue

Drop Memorial Day into a ready-made newsletter template, add your team's news, and send it from your own inbox.

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Subject line ideas

Try these subject lines to boost open rates:

  • Memorial Day: What we're doing this year
  • It's Memorial Day — here's how you can get involved
  • This week: Memorial Day + team news
  • 31 May: Memorial Day at [Company]

How to feature this in your newsletter

  1. Plan ahead — Add Memorial Day to your content calendar at least 2 weeks before the date so you have time to gather content and images.
  2. Choose your angle — Will you run a dedicated special edition, or include it as a section in your regular newsletter? Bigger events work well as specials; smaller ones fit into your weekly digest.
  3. Involve your people — Ask employees to share their stories, experiences, or ideas related to Memorial Day. User-generated content always gets higher engagement.
  4. Include a call to action — Give readers something to do: attend an event, share a message, learn something new, or donate to a cause.

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